Riding in January and February

[notbike]

Are weather conditions worse in the UK in January/February than they are in say November/December? I've never really paid attention to which months are colder, because I've never really had a reason to care about the weather.

I'm asking cause this is my first winter as a biker so I've never rode through a winter before and dunno if I should pack it in before weather starts getting very shit.

Just looked at the weather forecast for the next week and they predict snow and sub-zero temperatures down here in london. Hopefully that isn't a recurring theme in coming weeks.

If it gets any colder I'm considering doing the sensible thing and putting the bike away until it gets warmer, but I bloody hate public transport (only realistic alternative) and have places I need to be all the time.

tl;dr is it gonna keep gettin colder? is it inevitable that the weather will stop me riding at some point in jan-feb?

[pinkyfloyd]

[quote="Meef"]
tl;dr is it gonna keep gettin colder?

[Ste]

"they predict snow and sub-zero temperatures"

Don't worry, it won't snow when the temperature is below zero.

[Nash GT]

[Pete.]

[iooi]

[notbike]

I'm pretty prepared for winter in terms of keeping warm on longer rides, got bar muffs, thick gloves, snood, scarf, lots of layers etc. Comfort definitely isn't the issue

I was more worried about this:

[FlightRisk]

London doesn't get too bad generally.

If it gets icy though stay off two wheels and suffer public transport for a few days. It's just not worth it the risk, doesn't gain you any man-points with the nurses in A&E.
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Honda CB500S

[iooi]

[doggone]

Snow is more likely later in the winter or even early spring.
By February the increased power of the sun and daylength often dries the road surfaces quicker, even if there's snow on the fields and conditions can be quite good for riding.

[notbike]

[totalllama82]

Its been crappy here for a while now (Glasgow). I stopped using the bike in October time because she blew over and got wrecked.

Have to say, Jan and Feb tend to be the coldest whilst Nov and Dec tend to be wetter. I actually preferred the cold to the wet when riding - besides the salt on the roads.

I've given up on riding in the winter now though. The salt destroys the bike and the cold removes the fun.
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Gone: Haotian HT125-8 / Yamaha YZF 600R Thundercat / Kawasaki ZX9R C2
Current: Kawasaki ZZR 1400 A7F

[barrkel]

In London, main roads generally have clear tyre tracks even in snow, if you don't mind the amount of salt involved.

Any road that's not e.g. a red route will probably have compacted ice in the tyre grooves.

I wouldn't mind going out on a bike with a low centre of gravity, easy to hold up. A cheap 125 scooter, for example. Have done in the past on a Vity.

I wouldn't risk it on a bike you can't afford to drop, probably more than once.
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Bikes: S1000R, SH350; Exes: Vity 125, PS125, YBR125, ER6f, VFR800, Brutale 920, CB600F, SH300x4
Best road ever ridden: www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2MhNxUEYtQ

[notbike]

Hmm definitely can't afford to drop my bike atm, but ACF50 protects against salt right?

[Nash GT]

[farlow2014]

snow here out on my scoot for first time one thing i did learn was to take it steady on islands even a little 125cc scooter kicks ass end out very easy

[sidewinder]

[Beehive Bedlam]

Tonight is the first time I had to get the months off the back of my bike it is snowing and very cold.

Riding right through until the clocks switch and the fair weather bikers start crawling out of the wood works will improve your riding senses and skills.

[Nash GT]

I knew yo ass was gonna appear as soon as someone mentioned welded sprockets and shafts!

All be it in another thread
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Suzuki GSF600N

[FlightRisk]

[TallPaul_S]

I'd say down here in London and the south east is probably the best place to be able to ride year round - tonight is a prime example: 100 miles away in Lincolnshire they have a couple of inches of snow, yet here in Kent it's just raining very hard.

I'd say I'll probably be riding right through winter unless we get some proper snow, and let's face it, that normally equates to a day of snow then a day of sludge then back to normal.
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00 Honda VFR800 | 09 Aprilia Tuono Factory
CBT 06/03/2014 | Mod 1 and Mod 2 passed 15/10/2014

[MC]

Last year I didn't see one bit of ice (in London), even when leaving for work at 6am. TBH it wasn't that cold either, only for a couple weeks in December did it get bad.

Generally January/February are the worst months, but tbh the weathers all over the place. Didn't it snow in May a couple years back?
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Yamaha MT-03 '08 (crashed)
Honda XR-125L '04

[Ariel Badger]

I spent 8 years on the bike every day of the year, I came off on ice and snow a few times and learned a few good lessons number one being..... only tw@s ride a bike every day of the year.
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Bikers make great organ donors, get 115 on your licence today.

[Dave70]

Im' in a similar position, as in, only having a bike to get about on, otherwise it's a case of public transport. **shudder**

Basically, you just have to take it on a day by day basis. I've ridden in medium to heavy morning frost before now, but only because the roads got worse the further I travelled and it was a case of "well, I've come this far so I'll carry on". Personally though, I wouldn't recommend it on a faired bike, as one drop will cost you £££'s.

If there's snow or ice then it's a no no for me but, if I had an old naked winter hack to use, I'd give it a whirl, cautiously of course.

If your chicken strips are getting bigger at this time of year, I'd say it's because you are correctly riding to the conditions and that's a good thing.

As for ACF50, cover your bike in the stuff (except your brakes of course ). Leave it on over the winter and don't bother washing your bike because you'll just end up having to re-apply it, plus you'll also be wasting your time as the bike will be filthy again after next ride. It may look a mess after a few weeks but, when the weather improves and you give it a good wash, the bike will look like new again.
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There ain't no devil, there's just god when he's drunk.

2012: R125 killed by white van. 2016 R125 killed by 30,000 miles of redline. Current: 2016 Kawasaki ER6f.

[Kierran]

Last two years i rode through winter bar days of ice and snow. After it cost £1800 to fix only the front fairings when it got knocked oer in a carpark I wouldnt risk it. Town/City centres tend to stay warmer. Watch out riding outwith the city as shade can keep areas of road icy while the sun has completely cleared and dried the rest.
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Im not driving too fast, Im flying too low!
Current Bike - GSXR 750 K5
Current Car - BMW 318i